Budget Agreement In Frankfort

Frankfort, KY – Lawmakers reached agreements on the budget and tax bills early Sunday morning, with a late-night session ending a stalemate over how the state spends money. The bills would raise Kentucky's 3 cent cigarette tax to 30 cents, give Governor Fletcher a free hand in deciding how to spend $125 million on county roads and city streets and provide nearly $39 million to the University of Louisville for a new health science research facility. House Speaker Jody Richards of Bowling Green says because it took longer than expected to reach a final agreement, Monday's scheduled session of the general assembly was cancelled so that the final budget and tax bills could be proofread and printed. The legislature will re-convene Tuesday to take a formal vote on the bills